Tuesday, May 29, 2012
A year ago today I was in Granada, Spain, still recovering from a horror day that included this fountain.
Getting into Granada the morning before, after an overnight train, I decided to try and buy a five-trip ticket on the bus. I knew I was saying it right and I knew the bus driver was saying 20 Euros which was the 10-trip one that I didn't want. Perhaps it was that I didn't understand but he was saying I couldn't buy it. He then took my money and kept 20 Euros worth and gave me the 10-trip. I tried saying no and asking for my money back but he just kept jibbering at me without trying to listen.
I was so frustrated I actually turned to the full bus and shouted 'Does anyone speak English'. In Spanish of course, doing my best with my phrasebook as I had since entering Spain. And do you think ANYONE even murmured an answer? No.
Then I realised it was about where I thought I was meant to get off and I felt so exasperated. A middle-aged woman and a senior woman were trying to ask me something, then realising I couldn't reply spoke to each other as if to figure out what was going on. I managed to get the words for "I'm here two days" and they both went "ohhhh". So even THEY knew I got ripped off and there's nothing I could do.
THEN after getting to my hostel, waiting around and explaining that I wanted to try and sell the ticket to someone to get that 20 Euros, the walking tour I wait for at the fountain never shows. No-one else, no tour guide, nothing. Later in the day I put that ticket to use to find out tickets for the Alhambra castle are usually sold weeks in advance. I had to go that night, missing the Champions League final (with Barca FC) I was so keen to go to a pub and watch, having been in Barcelona the day before.
Overall, I felt so emotionally frustrated I walked around in tears for most of the day. And when I wasn't I looked and felt like I was about to.
Day two was a bit better. The ticket wasn't used up but did come in handy somewhat. It was just so frustrating that I was trying so hard to speak the language and it was STILL impossible to evoke any sort of help for people, especially after the Barcelona episode.
***
The next two days, in Sevilla, were surprisingly better. It didn't come without its own example of language/emotive barriers though... I went to the renfe information room at the train station on arrival after the man didn't understand my ticket query at the general counters. I ask if they speak English (again in Spanish, it was always in fucking Spanish because I'm not ignorant enough to assume English is the world's only language and I TRIED) and the chick just looks at the guy, they turn their heads back and just snigger.
Actual SNIGGER.
I seriously was so frustrated at yet ANOTHER negative welcome/response from people in the transport industry I actually gave them a big 'Fuck you' and stormed out. It was there I seriously considered going straight to Madrid and changing my ticket to fly out a week early. Atrocious.
Having said that I came out of Sevilla with a new Aussie friend, and from both places with some great sightseeing under my belt. Take a look.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
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| Las Ramblas |
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| La Sagrada Familia - I actually cried on walking in... |
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| Olympic Museum is a must |
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| More Gaudi magic - Casa Batllo |
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| The beginnings of a worldwide movement |
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Ok, so I obviously bought a shiteload of clothes while away. Two months is a long time. Excuse the shoddy photography.
Greece and London Part One: surprised I didn't like much clothes-wise on the islands. But London was the big one...
L-R: Santorini dress, 49P/New Look military jacket, 15P/You for New Look skirt, 5P/Maribou tie-dye dress/H&M black slip, 7.99P/Maribou handkerchief top
*Forgot to include a baggy 3/4 sleeve khaki mesh-type top from Zara I picked up for 7.95P*
Portobello Road proper/Camden hidden gems
L-R: tenki dress, 15P/vintage striped dress, 18P/vintage winter dress, 18P/floral dress, 10P/green pantaloons, 8P
During-tour buys and presents:
L-R: silk scarf from Venice, 25E/Fishbowl t-shirt for New Yorker (Krakow), possibly 54.90Zloty/Episode (Amsterdam) baggy tee, price unknown/Tally Weijl (Greece) dressy tank, price unknown/Murphy's (Santorini) promo T-shirt, priceless ;D
Novelty Tees:
L-R: Topdeck Spirit of Europe tee/Schnaps Museum (Vienna) promo tee, 10E/Topdeck Hoff Berlin tee/Amsterdam tee/Busabout La Tomatina 2010 tee
London Take Two: I just had to go back didn't I?
L-R: Topshop cropped tee, 14P. Camden Markets: vintage dress, 15P/tank top, 4P/skirt, 2P. Episode skirt, 13P
Spain... and er, tights for our Berlin pub crawl:
L-R: Shambala harem pants from Peniscola, 21E/shorts from Barcelona, 19,95E/H&M pink tights from Berlin, 5E
Now keep in mind this is only clothes. Bags, shoes and jewellry to come if anyone's interested.
I won't say too much on the final few places, only because I've been writing so much down for my personal records - and I'm starting to procrastinate from doing it, which isn't good.
Mallorca ended up being different to what I expected - perhaps that's because I was under the impression I'd be hitting the clubs, beaching it, sleeping and not much else. What I ended up doing was seeing all the important sights and areas thanks to our host Michel (good) and buying three pairs of shoes in as many days although my suitcase surely wouldn't allow for it (even better). When we did hit the clubs (on the Sunday night) it was exactly what I expected though - drunk Brits being bogan everywhere. Fantastic. Missed out on Deadmau5 by two nights at BCM (their main club where DJ Sammy performs every Friday - !) - I didn't get to go there which was a huge bummer but finding out I'd miss out on them killed me.
Barcelona was a great night, we really should've stayed there longer like we originally planned. Only as a transition between Mallorca and Athens we ended up having arguably the best accommodation all trip (with towels... and SOAP!), the best central location AND good luck with two clubs. Funny story time: dancing with Helen, then an Argentinean guy whose cousins had befriended us decides to get real close and ask me: 'Can I bite you? Pleeease?' I almost went into hysterics. Gold. We only had about four hours sleep before leaving to catch our flight, where I happen to bump into Beth from Tomatina. Small world.
Athens was great as a bookend to Nemea because I saw a totally different side of Greece, the one seriously affected by their current economic struggle. Student transport ticket for 90mins: 50 Euro cents. Cheeeeap. And they think things have skyrocketed. But spending time with my mum's side was great; went for coffee everyday - around a marina, Glyfada (which is a really nice area) - and returned to my love: the pite. Went to a restaurant which was constantly packed called Georgia's Pites where they seriously had the best yiros' I've ever had in my entire life. These didn't have chips in them like anywhere else but they tasted incredible.
Saw the Acropolis and surroundings: the Parthenon is colossal. I didn't want to leave it; so so beautiful. Think I cried a little. Saw Hadrian's Gate and the Temple of Zeus and then most of Ancient Agora where Helen had slight issues... climbing some steps, which of course are marble and therefore slippery, and an exasperated Helen says to me: 'MORE marble?!' I just turn and say: 'Dude, it's Ancient Greece. Of course there's marble.' That, with Barcelona two days before brought arguably the two best quotes of the trip. Genius.
Loved the Monestiraki and Plaka areas... felt drawn to Athens - and not just because everyone dresses impeccably. Caught myself imagining an older version of me there with a husband and kids walking around the streets. I must've looked local enough; a (hottt) TV presenter approaches me with mike and all. Couldn't help him out - need to brush up on my Greek properly I've decided. Didn't matter for the club we went to though... like Mykonos, looked like something out of a film. Every girl in heels (and me caught out wearing flats because I didn't know we were going) and really good mix of Greek and English music made for a great night out.
Before we knew it the five days were over and we were going home. No major dramas getting back to Oz, except for the freezing night-stay in Melbs. A horrible wake-up call. But I went to Sydney to shop and sightsee a bit more five days after coming back to Adelaide. After THAT I was shopped out AND aware I was really home. Which got me down for a bit. But I think I'm okay now. Looking at all my clothes makes me happy anyway.
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